Container for packaging apples



Feb. 28, 1961 M. B. ROYCE CONTAINER FOR PACKAGING APPLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb. 28, M O E CONTAINER FOR PACKAGING APPLES 25 BY Ma ,251,,

{7] ATTORNEYS CONTAINER FOR PACKAGING APPLES Mark B. Royce, Hohokus, N.J., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 2,230

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-6) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in the container art, and more particularly relates to a novel container for packaging fruits, such as apples and the like.

Many fruits, particularly apples, are packed in paperboard boxes, with the individual layers of apples being t separated by molded pulp trays, much in the same manner as eggs. In the normal packaging of apples, in the packing plant, the apples travel along on a conveyor belt past an operator who picks the apples from the belt and places them in the cavities of the molded pulp trays.

Sites PatentCliCe The filled trays are dropped into the boxes, and the air in the bottom of the boxes beneath the trays is trapped and functions as a cushion to the descent of the trays of apples. Such a principle has proven to be a very successful one. However, it is also desirable to provide openings in the boxes to permit the circulation of air around the fruit therewithin. The openings, on the other hand, provide a situation wherein the air is no longer trapped beneath the tray as it is lowered into the box, and as a result, the tray falls rapidly to the bottom of the box and the fruit is displaced from the individual pockets of the tray. Further, when additional trays are container is provided with openings to permit the circulation of air around the fruit, and at the same time to employ the air cushioning principles presently utilized, the container being provided with a cover which initially has the top forming flaps thereof loose, and which cover is telescoped down over the container box portion to temporarily close the air holes therein so that air may be trapped within the container box beneath the trays to cushion their. descent in the normal manner, and the .cover being movable upwardly after the box has been filled with the fruit, and the flaps stapled into place.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel container for. packaging apples and like fruit, which container may be readily handled in a packing plant and which is complete in itself, the container including a box and a cover, the cover having the top wall thereof formed by a plurality of flaps which are folded together and are to be stapled, the cover initiallyhaving its flaps unstapled and the entire cover, including the flaps, being telescoped over the box so that once the box is.filled, it is merely necessary to slide the cover up and to staple the flaps, thus completing the packing operation.

Still another object of the invention is-to provide. a novel container for packaging apples and the lil e,the container including a paperboard box having a bottom, side walls and end walls. the end walls 'being'provided at the upper edges thereof with inturned depending flaps,

' Figure 6 is an of the end walls.

partially assembled, as is illustrated in Figure 2.

the upper portions of the end walls being provided with hand holes, the upper boundaries of the hand holes being disposed flush with the lower edges of the flaps, whereby a two ply grip is provided, and there additionally'being provided a cover having hand holes aligned with the other hand holes so .that the finished container may have a three p y e p- .s

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel container for packaging apples and the like, the container including a paperboard box which has a bottom,

side walls, and end walls, the end walls terminating'at the upper ends thereof in inturneddepending flaps, the side walls being provided with large ventilatingopenings, and the box being reinforced by upstanding inner side members which are of a slotted construction and have smaller openings therein aligned with the large openings of the side walls, the lengths of the inner side members being slightly greater than the spacing between the flaps so as to crush the flaps and to form an interlock with the box.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention willbe more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention and packed with apples.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view, showing th various components of the container. V

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the section line 33 of Figure 1, and shows the specific relationship between the various components of the container, the apples being omitted for purposes of clarity.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the section line 4-4 of Figure 3, and shows further the relationship 'of the various components of the container.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the section line 5--5 of Figure 4, and shows still further the details of the container, the positioning of apples both packaged within the container and abouttjo llnie packagedwithin the container being shown indotted nes.

enlarged fragmentary perspective view of. an upper innerflcorner 0f thebox portion of theeontainer and shows the mannerinwhich one ofthe inner side members is interlocked with the inturned flap onone In describing the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawings, reference will be madeto'the packaging of apples therein. It is to be understood, however, that apples are only oneof the many articles which may be packaged in containers of the type to which this invention pertains.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated,- the entire container is generally referred to by the numeral 10. The container 10 is basically formed of a.paperboard box, generally referred to by the numeral 11, a paperboard cover, generally referred to by the numeral 12, and a pair of slottedinner side members, generally referred to by the numeral 13. For convenience .of shipment, the box 11 and the cover 12 will be shipped in the flat blank state, and the box 11 completely assentbled, as is illustrated in Figure 2, and the cover 12 any The box 11 includes apair of side walls"l4"and a pair of end walls 15-. The lower'edges of the endwalls 1 terminate in inturned flaps Iii-which overlie -ii1turned flaps 17 integrally connected to the -lower edge's of' tliie .Patented-Feb. 28,195;

in front of the packers.

side walls 14. The flaps 16 and 17 are suitably connected together, such as by staples, to-form a bottom wall 18 of the box 11. Also, one of the end walls 15 has a narrow vertical flap 19 which is secured to an overlapping portion. of one of the side walls'1'4 to complete the periphery of the box'll.

The upper edges of the end walls 15 terminate in inturned depending flaps 20. These flaps 20have a dual purpose, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

The side walls 14 are provided with relatively large .Openings21. These openings 21 are much larger than the articles to be packaged within the box 11, and are primarily for ventilating purposes, although they will 'also facilitate the inspect-ion of the articles packaged within the boxll.

Upper portions of the end walls 15 are provided with hand holes 22. As is best illustratedin Figure 3, the

upper boundaries of the hand holes 22 are disposed flush with the lower edges of the flaps 20. As a result, a two ply grip is provided on the box 11.

The inner side members 13 are of a slatted construction, and each inner side member 13 is formed of a plurality of slats 23 which are vertically disposed, and which are spaced apart to provide vertical openings 24. The lower ends of the vertcial slats 23 are connected together by a horizontal slat 25. A second horizontal slat 26 extends between and connects the upper edges of the slats 23. If desired, staples,,such as the staples 27, may be used for securing the slats together.

Each of theinner sidemembers 13 is of a length slightly greater than the initial spacing between the flaps 20. As a result, when the inner side member 13 is positioned within the box 11, theends of theflaps 20 are crushed to form a "vertical recess 28, bestillustratedin Figure 6. The upper corners of the inner side members 13 being disposed within the recesses 28, the inner side members 13 are locked in place within the box 11. It

is to be noted that the openings 24 are aligned generally with the large openings 21 and thus in eifect restrict the size of the large openings 21.

The cover 12 is of a similar construction to the box 11, and includes a body portion, generally referred to by the numeral 29, the body portion 29 being formed by a pair of cover side walls 30 and a pair of cover end walls 31. One of the cover side walls 30 is provided with a flap 32 on the end thereof, which flap 32 underlies one of the cover end walls'31 and is secured thereto by staples 33.

The cover 12 also includes a top wall 34. The top 7 wall 34 is formed by a pair of flaps 35 which are extensions of the cover side walls 30, and a pair of flaps 36 which are extensions of the cover end walls ,31, the flaps 36 underlying the flaps 35 and being secured theretoby staples 37, as is best illustrated in Figure 1.

.At the beginning of the packaging operation, the container ltiis assembled, as is best illustrated in Figure 5. In this condition, the inner side members 13 are disposed within the assembled box 11, and the body portion 29 of the cover 12 has been assembled, but the flaps 35 and '36 are still free. The cover 12 is telescoped down over the box 11 with the body portion 29, and the flaps 3S .and 36 engaging respective ones of the side walls and end walls of the box 11 to close the openings 21. Thus,

the container 10 is .provided in its complete condition ready to be filled and closed. The container 10 assembled as described above, is suspended from a hook member in the packing house and travels along on a conveyor When a container is needed, the packer merelyreaches up, grabs on a. container, and

.has in one assembly the two piece container, that is, the

box and the cover, plus the slatted inner side members.

In the packing plant, apples travel along on a conveyor ;.be1t;p ast an operator who picks up thelapples from the be, lt.. t 1nd places them incavities of a molded pulp tray, :suchas-thepulp trays 38 illustrated in Figure 5. When into the box 11. The air within the box 11 is trapped beneath the tray 38, which tray has an outline corresponding to the general cross-section of the box 11, and cushions the descent of the tray, the tray descending gradually as the air escapes. The air escapes around the edges of the tray and through the spacing between the flaps .of the inner side members 13. If the cover 12 were not in place over the openings 21, the air would escape through the openings 21 too quickly to support the tray of apples, with the result thatthetray of apples would rapidly descend into the box 11. Such rapid rate of descent, coupled with the sudden stopping of the tray at the bottom of the'box '11, would result in the apples 39 being displaced fromtheir respective cavities in the tray 38. Furthermore, the loaded tray 38 striking a lower tier of apples would result in the bruising of such apples.

After the required number of trays of apples are positioned within the box-11, the cover 12 is moved-upwardly and the flaps '35 and 36 are'stapled together, as is best illustrated in Figure 1. At this time,the-package is complete.

It is to be noted that the cover-end walls 31 are also provided with hand holes 40. The hand holes 40 are so positioned within the cover end walls 31 that they-are aligned with the hand holes 22. Thus, as is best illustrated in Figure 3, a three ply grip is providedrfor the finished package.

In the finished package, the openings 21-arepartially closed by the slats'23 of the inner side members 13 and the aligned openings 21 and 24 permit the necessary circulation of air between the individual pieces of fruit within the container 10 to prevent spoilage. Also, a

limited inspection may be had through the openings in the inner side members 13. The inner side members 13 have an additional function, in that they are of sufficient vertical rigidity to reinforce the containers 10 against crushing. This is highly desirable in that when the con- .tainers 10 are stored-in theirpackaged state,'they are ',certain of said upstanding walls having ventilation open- .ings therein, reinforcing members disposed within said box alongside. at least two opposite ones of said certain upstanding walls, said reinforcing members extending substantially the full height of said upstanding walls to prevent collapsing of said upstanding wall from a downward load placed onthe container, said reinforcing members having openings generally aligned with said ventilation openings, .andacover forming member, said cover forming member having a tubular body portion corresponding generally to the outline of the bottom of said boxand flaps extending upwardly from said body portion for forminga top,.said cover forming member being telescoped down over said box upstanding walls with said body portionand at least certain ofsaid flaps overlying and closing said entilation openings.

2. A container forfruit ,and the like comprising a paperboard box having a bottom, side walls andend walls, said. side wallseach having large ventilation openings as compared tothe size of the side wall, an inner side member extending along the inner. surface of each and at the same time preventing removal of the articles,

and a cover, said cover including a tubular body portion and top wall forming flaps, said body portion being telescoped over lower portions of said side and end walls and said cover fiaps forming continuations of said body portion andbeing disposed in face-to-face relation to upper portions of said side and end walls, said cover temporarily covering said side wall openings.

3. A container unit for receiving and packaging fruit and the like disposed in trays, said container unit com prising a box having a bottom and upstanding walls having openings therein for the circulation of air through said certain upstanding walls to ventilate the interior of said box, said upstanding walls having interior edges defining boundaries of said openings with opposed portions of the interior edges defining each opening being spaced apart to permit free circulation of air through said openings, and a cover forming member, said cover forming member having a tubular body portion corresponding generally to the outline of the bottom of said box and flaps extending upwardly from said body portion for forming a top, said cover forming member being telescoped down over said box upstanding walls with said body portion and at least certain of said flaps each partially overlying said ventilation openings with said body portion and said certain flaps combining to close all of said ventilation openings.

4. A container unit for packaging fruit and the like disposed on trays, said container unit comprising a box having a bottom and upstanding walls, at least one of said upstanding walls having an opening therein for the circulation of air through said one upstanding wall to ventilate the interior of said box, said one upstanding wall having interior edges defining boundaries of said ventilation opening with opposed portions of said interior edges being spaced apart to permit free circulation of air through said ventilation opening, and a cover memher, said cover member having a tubular body portion corresponding generally to the outline of the bottom of said box and imperforate top forming flaps connected to said body portion along the upper edges thereof, said top forming flaps being initially free and swingable upwardly to form extensions of said body portion, the combined vertical dimension along said body portion and an associated one of said top forming flaps being at least as great as the distance from said bottom to the top of said ventilation opening whereby said cover member may be telesooped over said box with said body portion and said top forming flaps combining to temporarily close said ventilation opening and thus provide an air cushion for trays descending in said box, and the height of said body portion being relatively small as compared to the height of said side walls and generally equal to the distance between the top of said box and the upper boundary of said ventilation opening, whereby when said cover is in a normal box closing portion substantially all of said ventilation opening will be exposed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,924,053 Sheller Aug. 22, 1933 2,192,006 Cook Feb. 27, 1940 2,345,000 Newsom Mar. 28, 1944 2,361,984 Williamson Nov. 7, 1944 2,673,022 Prossen Mar. 23, 1954 2,689,077 Main Sept. 14, 1954 2,735,608 George Feb. 21, 1956 2,775,082 Vogt Dec. 25, 1956 2,864,545 Royce Dec. 16, 1958 2,893,617 George July 7, 1959 2,939,624 Wilson June 7. 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 386,577 Great Britain Ian. 19, 1933 

